


From the Fire Lord's Desk

by Chisscientist



Series: Ashes of Empire [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aang needs to learn to clean up his own mess, Firelord Zuko (Avatar), Gen, Legal Reform, Paperwork, Why does this law exist?, Zuko (Avatar)-centric, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, apologetic Zuko, funny paperwork
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:46:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27620209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chisscientist/pseuds/Chisscientist
Summary: Many may covet the Fire Throne, but far fewer covet the contents of his desk... Ch 4 What do you mean, that’s the law?
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Song & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Ashes of Empire [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2019376
Comments: 4
Kudos: 123





	1. Song

To Apprentice Healer Song, of Yazi village,  
I want to apologize for stealing your ostrich horse. It was very wrong of me, especially given the way that you had just helped my uncle and I when we had nothing and were in dire need of help. I cannot excuse my behavior, though I will admit I was in a very bad state of mind at the time, and stealing your ostrich horse is not the only thing I did around that time that I now bitterly regret. Since then, I am trying to turn over a new leaf. To that end, I have enclosed the price of a good quality ostrich horse, plus extra for the difficulties you probably experienced as a result of the theft. 

I hope that my bad behavior did not dull your willingness to help those who needed you. If it is any consolation, you were one of the people I was thinking of when I decided to defy my father to help the Avatar in order to end the war, so your actions had more impact that it may have seemed at the time. I am currently in the middle of negotiating a permanent peace with Earth King Kuei.

To the best of my knowledge, your ostrich horse is fine. My uncle is well.

Please accept my humble apology,  
Fire Lord Zuko

_____________

To Fire Lord Zuko,  
I must admit that your letter came as a great surprise. I had no idea you and your uncle were anything more than what you seemed at the time – a couple of scared people running away from trouble, one of whom turned to theft. I was pretty disheartened by the theft at the time, as it not only showed ingratitude but caused real hardship. We sometimes go out into nearby areas to help patients who cannot reach us in town, and without the ostrich horse that was slower and harder. A couple of people died who might have lived if we had gotten there faster. I don’t know what would have happened if we still had the ostrich horse. But we didn’t.

The money is helpful. We had almost scraped together enough for another ostrich horse, but now we can get one right away and have money left over for other things. I am glad my former ostrich horse and your uncle are well.

I do forgive you, but more for your actions in ending the war than for the money or the apology. Good luck in the negotiations, and I hope your reign goes well in your own country.

Sincerely,  
Apprentice Healer Song


	2. Bujing

To Fire Lord Zuko,

I am writing to ask you to accept my resignation as a member of the War Council and an active general in the Fire Nation Army. I wish to resign for the sake of my health, and in order to spend more time with my children and grandchildren. As I believe you intend to end the war and will thus have less need of my skills, it seems a good time for me to depart.

General Bujing

_____________

scrawled on the bottom at a later date:

Resignation accepted – Fire Lord Zuko


	3. The Cabbage Merchant's Request

To Fire Lord Zuko,

I am writing to request recompense for the repeated destruction of my cabbage business equipment and merchandize by the Avatar and his friends, most especially the Avatar's flying bison. The destruction occurred three times in Omashu, once at the Pier of Questionable Delights, and once in Ba Sing Se, in the total amount of 780 gold pieces. The damage to my business has resulted in my going deeply into debt in order to continue operation. As the member of the Avatar's crew with the greatest financial resources, I am requesting your help.

Sincerely,

Cabbage Merchant Yu

________

To Cabbage Merchant Yu,

as I was not a member of the Avatar's crew at the times when your business was damaged, I am not the person you need to speak to. I have forwarded your letter to Avatar Aang for his consideration.

You have my sympathy,

Fire Lord Zuko

_________

Aang,

I just received a complaint from a cabbage merchant who claims you repeatedly wrecked his business. I don't whether this actually happened or not, since it happened well before I joined your party, so I'm enclosing his message and sending it on to you.

How are you enjoying the Southern Water Tribe in winter? Have you learned to like sea prunes yet?

Say hello to Katara and Sokka for me.

Zuko


	4. What do you mean, that's the law?

Obsolete and otherwise inappropriate laws that are hereby to be removed from the Fire Nation’s books, by order of Fire lord Zuko, with the Advice of the Civil Council.

Reign of Choryu

Statute 27a) reign of Choryu Nobly born adults must wear a topknot when in public. Penalty $.20  
Statute 27b) reign of Choryu Common-born adults and children may not wear a topknot, under pain of a fine of not more than $.20

Statute 342, Reign of Choryu. It is illegal for a dragon to be kept in a hayloft.

Reign of Sozin

Statute 13, Reign of Sozin The owner of a dragon is responsible for paying for any livestock it eats, unless the dragon is in service to the crown. In that case, requests for recompense are to be made out to the dragon riders’ corps using form 127c.

Statute 61B Reign of Sozin Homosexual acts are punishable by fines of not more than $2000, and same-sex marriages will not be recognized by the crown.

Statute 261 Reign of Sozin. It is illegal to dress a komodo rhino in royal robes and place an imitation crown on its head on all fools day.

Statute 932a Reign of Sozin. Flying bison may not be kept in captivity or bred for any purpose.  
Statute 932b Flying lemurs are banned as pets.  
Statute 932c Dragons require special permission from the Fire Lord.

Statute 951 Reign of Sozin dragons may be hunted. And anyone who kills a dragon will recieve the title of ‘Dragon’ for the rest of their life.

Statute 1002 Reign of Sozin Flying bison may not fly in Fire Nation airspace, or land on Fire Nation soil.

Statute 1007 Reign of Sozin It is illegal to feed frogpigeons in Caldera city.

Statute 1009 Reign of Sozin It is illegal to wear a wig while in a Fire Temple.

Statute 1019 Reign of Sozin It is illegal for a mongoose lizard hatchling to sleep in a bathtub.

Reign of Azulon

Statute 21 Reign of Azulon. It is not permitted to post broadsheet charicatures of the Fire Lord in the marketplace on All Fools Day.

Statute 78 Reign of Azulon. It is illegal for psychics to prophecy a) the return of the Avatar  
b) the death of the Fire Lord  
c) the defeat of the Fire Nation military in battle.

Statute 92 Reign of Azulon. Divans may not be kept on porches.

Statute 127 Reign of Azulon. Pickled vegetables offered for sale must bounce when dropped onto stone.

Statute 1074 Reign of Azulon It is illegal to waterbend or earthbend in the Fire Nation without a licence.

Reign of Ozai

Statute 16 Reign of Ozai. It is illegal to hold a dance party without official permission.

Statute 39 Reign of Ozai. It is illegal to sleep in a park, or on a sidewalk. Offenders are to be sentenced to time in colonial coal mines.

Statute 57 Reign of Ozai. Seaweed may not be removed from the beach.

Statute 99 Reign of Ozai. It is not permitted to name a monkey after the current or a previous Fire Lord.

Statute 219 Reign of Ozai. Celebration of All Fools Day is banned.

Statute 302 Reign of Ozai It is illegal to create or worship at a shrine dedicated to a non-Fire Nation spirit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of the weirder ones on this list are based on actual laws in force around the world. For example, the one about pickled vegetables comes from somewhere in the USA, as does the one about (in the real world, a donkey) sleeping in a bathtub. A lot of the other laws are meant to be the kinds of laws people with absolute power and no sense of humor about themselves might put in place, as well as some heavily implied as being present in the Avatar universe.


End file.
